


Cat and Mouse

by fructoselollipop



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-06
Updated: 2013-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-04 11:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/710106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fructoselollipop/pseuds/fructoselollipop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mad Swan, post Hat Trick. Five encounters, one game of cat and mouse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cat and Mouse

_Lovers’ games you so excellently play, even though liars never mean what they say._

* * *

The first time she saw him again he was in the parking lot of the sheriff’s station, leaning against her bug and wearing the hat she’d made for him. When their eyes met, he simply smiled at her and tipped the hat. By the time she reached the parking lot he was gone and no where in sight. She was almost convinced that she had imagined the interaction, but the top hat was missing from her car.

* * *

 

The second time was outside Henry’s school. She had snuck over to talk to him again, when she spotted Jefferson standing next to a large oak tree across the street. He didn’t seem to notice her at first, his eyes fixated on the little girl named Paige – his “daughter,” she recalled. Once again, she tried to approach him, but he spotted her coming. He ducked behind his tree and disappeared once more.

* * *

 

The third time is when she finally caught him. He was standing on the street corner opposite Granny’s, today in a black turtleneck to hide his scar, and smoking a cigarette. Emma was determined to ignore him at first. She wasn’t going to give chase, because that’s exactly what he wanted: to let her know he was watching but never let her near enough to speak. However, today he seemed bent on proving her wrong. He waited outside while she ate her breakfast and chatted with Ruby. He didn’t move when she stalled for time by making unnecessary conversation with Sean and Ashley who were there for breakfast. He didn’t so much as shrug when she finally left and pointedly headed straight for her car.

His eyes followed her the whole way, the corner of his mouth twisted up in a smile that taunted her. But still he didn’t move or call out to her. He was simply content to watch. And, frustrated, Emma gave in. To her great surprise, however, he didn’t run. He simply waited for her to reach him while his smile grew into one that split his face. In fact, he looked so smug that by the time she was within an arm’s length of him she had half a mind to punch him.

Instead she stopped in front of him, folding her arms sternly over her chest, and said as calmly as she could, “Jefferson, what the hell are you doing here? I should have you arrested.”

He took a moment to respond, as he took a drag on his cigarette, kindly remembering to blow the smoke away from her. “You won’t, though,” he replied with a smirk that was almost indecent. “You’d have to explain why you were there in the first place. And don’t think anyone is stupid enough to buy that dog story you made up.”

Emma had to admit he had her there and she almost groaned at the memory of it. Spot, _really?_  “So why  _are_  you here,” she pressed. “Why are you following me? If you think I’m going to make another one of your hats, you—”

“I don’t need another hat,” Jefferson cut it swiftly, taking another calm puff.

It was the way he phrased it that gave her pause, and she sensed she was in for another bout of crazy talk. “Why?” She asked warily, almost fearing the answer.

He seemed to guess that she knew what was coming and opted to take his sweet time in responding. He put the cigarette to his lips one last time and inhaled deeply, before dropping it onto the pavement and crushing it beneath his shoe. He waited until the breath of smoke dissipated then leaned in close, his lips grazing her ear in a way he knew would tantalize her. “Because it worked.” And then he was walking away, not even giving her the chance to scoff. He flicked the first two fingers of his left hand in the air as he left her. A sort of salute goodbye, she supposed.

It wasn’t until he rounded a corner and disappeared that she realized he had gotten the better of her.  _Again._

* * *

 

The fourth time he would have had her believe to be an accident. He bumped into her, quite literally, at the grocery store. He acted surprised to see her, but the sly smirk on his lips and the empty basket in his hand said otherwise.

“Don’t you ever get tired of this,” Emma said, exasperated (yet, annoyingly pleased to see him in such a  _normal_ setting). “I mean, I know you think I’m special, but I thought you got what you wanted from me. Why keep following me?”

“Who says I’m following you?” Jefferson replied, indecently smug. Emma resisted the urge to punch him on the mouth.

“ _Please_ ,” she said instead, rolling her eyes. “You really expect me to believe this is all a coincidence? Come on, I’m not stupid.”

“You’ve believed stupider.”

* * *

 

The fifth time she decided she wouldn’t wait for him to sneak up on her. She knew it was probably a bad idea, and that she was just asking for another manic, uncomfortably (and quite  _literally_ ) close encounter. But this game of cat and mouse did not suit her in the slightest, and if he was going to subject it to her then she’d at least like to level the playing field.

There was a window open on the second floor that was easily climbed to, and Emma let herself into the mad man’s home. The first thing she noticed was the music. Someone (Jefferson, of course) was playing the Moonlight Sonata  _flawlessly_ , and she remembered the piano in the living room. Suddenly her heart was beating a tattoo in her throat, and she realized just  _how_ terrible an idea this was. Yet, her feet carried her forward.

His back was to her when she crept into the room. He didn’t turn, he must not have heard. A fire was roaring, just like that night, and – Emma noted with a frown – his telescope was still pointed resolutely at her office. On the coffee table was the tea tray. Two cups were filled.

Jefferson didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t stop playing. But Emma knew he was smiling.

It was a dangerous game, they played. And no matter what she did, he would always be the cat, and she the mouse.


End file.
